July 2003 | Editor’s Note
Should We End All War Coverage?
Our readers and advertisers are Conscious Choice’s lifeblood. We value the insights and perspectives you offer because they help us create a publication each month that informs, delights, and occasionally even provokes. We believe our journalism provides an alternative to the often one-sided coverage of issues that mainstream media present. Nonetheless, we can’t please everyone with our approach — as the following letter to the editor illustrates. I want to share that letter with you and devote this space to discussing the important points that are raised:
Stop with the Anti-War Stuff Already!
"I am one of your advertisers and have been for many years now. I considered pulling my ad a few issues back but didn’t get around to it. I guess I hoped that the anti-war articles would stop. I think it’s time for Conscious Choice to back off on the anti-war, anti-administration articles. I think you’ve lost perspective. I believe people read Conscious Choice because they are interested in environmental and health related issues.
"I find I personally pass over your war related articles as they all seem to have a Democratic slant and no opportunity is missed to take a swipe at the Bush administration. Further, I’m not so certain I want to be associated with this type of view.
"While I respect everyone’s right to freedom of speech, as an advertiser I don’t want to see my audience alienated by biased opinions or images of war. There are other places I can go if I want to read about the ravages of war; I don’t want to see it in Conscious Choice. Instead of a story on the‘Futility of War,’ maybe a more appropriate article for last May and Memorial Day would have been a story honoring those who — through great sacrifice — risked their lives to keep our country and other countries free." — Marilyn Leidecker, Leidecker Institute
Editor’s Reply: Thank you for your thoughtful comments, Marilyn. As you may be aware, last year Conscious Choice joined Dragonfly Media, a network of like-minded magazines around the country. Among many changes, the editorial mission of the magazine has also evolved — with a renewed commitment to health and wellness, food, and environmental issues joined by fresh coverage in other areas such as non-violence, socially responsible business, and social justice.
From our viewpoint, the principles of non-violence are fundamental to living a life aligned with the values of compassion. We believe that if people value Conscious Choice because they are interested in environmental and health related issues, they will also be interested in the promotion of peace.
After all, peace and justice are critical preconditions for a holistic life; if one’s house has been bombed or one’s family killed, does it really matter if we’re eating organic food? Beyond the inherent human tragedy, war is always a monumental environmental and health disaster for all involved.
We have covered these issues because we see so many of war’s insidious effects. For instance, if oil was an incentive in waging war on Iraq, doesn’t that bring into question this country’s policy on alternative fuel sources? Or, (according to TrueMajority.org) when U.S. federal spending on the military ($343 billion) dwarfs dollars spent on children’s health ($39 billion) or primary education ($34 billion), isn’t it prudent to speak out against this inequity?
We at Conscious Choice believe we are living through historic and dangerous times and feel an obligation to speak out. This magazine upholds our company’s values with coverage that "defends democracy, human rights, economic justice, and the principle of sustainability in all human enterprise." We believe our role is increasingly essential following the FCC’s decision in June to allow giant media companies to get even bigger by gobbling up more media outlets — despite overwhelming opposition from the American public.
In the end, we must seek guidance from you, our readers: Are non-violence, peace, and other social and economic issues appropriate to Conscious Choice or should we end such coverage and only concentrate on the core areas Marilyn has suggested? Please tell us what you think. — Rebecca Ephraim
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